“That’s the problem with Rome: ancient history is everywhere.”
–Emily, preaching a sermon
Last year, when writing about Season 4 of the candy-coated Netflix series, I said, “After almost 4 seasons, I’ve discovered the cheat code for enjoying ‘Emily in Paris,’ it’s recognizing while Emily is a hero in her own mind, she’s the villain in this story. That revelation est joyeaux.” Created by Darren Starr and starring Lily Collins, Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, Ashley Park, and the current paramour, Eugenio Franceschini as Marcello, “Emily in Paris” is a show with the magic of a Vegas lounge magician, deeply annoying and yet highly watchable. Every time I watch it, I think: This must be what chain smoking feels like. And I wonder if I should invest in a nicotine patch. Ah well, when in Rome…
Be assured—throughout much of the 10-episode Season 5—we are indeed in Rome, or Venice, or in Solitano with Marcello. Meanwhile, Emily tries to leave Gabriel (Lucas Bravo) in the past. Again. And once again, the fashion from lead costume designer Marylin Fitoussi is bold, imaginative, and chic. But that’s not the only good news.
Helming Agence Grateau’s new Rome office, Emily is thrown headfirst into Italian styling, cultural subtleties, and high-stakes ambition. At first, her signature optimism pays off. It’s fun to watch her and the Grateau gang leap into creative problem-solving mode with all kinds of romantic entanglements attached. Until a marketing campaign unexpectedly backfires, leaving her feeling betrayed and sending shockwaves through both her love life and career. As familiar heartbreak and professional setbacks return, Emily tries to find balance by re-embracing her reliable Parisian lifestyle. But just as things begin to settle, a scandal or two within her inner circle threatens to upend her support system and send her spiraling.
Where’s that good news I promised? This season, Emily is growing. Although the progress is slow, she’s maturing, and it shows. No longer able to shut down when situations get difficult, this season is about facing conflict head-on and discovering that a pivot doesn’t have to be a cop-out. That helps because Sylvie (Leroy-Beaulieu) is almost as good as Emily at getting their agency firmly mired in the “merde,” as Luc (Bruno Gouery) provides effortlessly clueless comedy, and Julien (Samuel Arnold) bails out this trainwreck of Orient-Express proportions with a simmering glare of French disdain and a witty quip.
Mindy (Park) is just as self-centered as Emily, and both double-dutch in and out of love just as quickly. Yet somehow Mindy makes ‘dizzy oblivion’ charming, while Emily makes you want to pull her aside for a word. Mind you, I’m not talking about the performances—Collins and Park give us full-bodied characters. I’m just begging Netflix to give us a spin-off. A romantic romp called Mindy Over Paris, with a touch of global travel and lots of jukebox musical set pieces. That’s what the people want. It’s me. I am the people.
So what else is different this season? If you’ve seen the S5 trailer, you know that Alfie (Lucien Laviscount) is back. Was that a spark between him and Mindy? I’ll never tell, but what’s really new—no matter how many mishaps, missteps, and mix-ups happen—is the depth of the friendships. Emily and Mindy learn that being there and upfront with one another enriches their lives. Emily and Sylvie also develop deeper levels of trust and connection. Sylvie goes through a torrent of upheaval this season. We’re allowed to witness her vulnerability and the unseen hopes that her icy facade usually hides. That’s what makes this season more grounded than in the past; the characters aren’t just silly people doing silly things. They’re still prone to bouts of ridiculousness, but they are works in progress, beginning to discard the flatness of caricatures to take on more dimension.
The characters continue to annoy me, but the annoyances have more nuance. Still, if you’ve been here for the entire run of the series, the plot points will make you feel like a fortune teller. I shouted out every story beat before it happened like an Oracle of Netflix. So yes, “Emily in Paris” used to be my one-and-only hate-watch. Now I hate that I somewhat enjoy watching it, but I do.
What? No, there aren’t any clues in that last sentence. Even if there were, it’s not what you think.
Whole season screened for review. Now on Netflix.
